Too Many Losing Heroines! - Volume 7 - Chapter 2.2

Step, step…

A long-haired brown cat darted past us, keeping its body low to the ground.

Shiratama-san and I are at a cat cafe inside the mall.

Sitting side by side on a wooden bench, we warmed our hands with cups of latte.

So, this is the place where we can be alone together…

"...I'm sorry for telling such a strange lie."

"Eh? No, well, cats aren't people, so us being alone together isn't exactly-"

"No, I mean the part about us dating."

Our relationship has been a lie.

How should I put it? I really wasn't expecting much, and I knew there was a reason why she said that. That's why this doesn't affect me in the slightest bit at all. But she could've kept it up a bit longer.

...Damn it. Thinking about it like this is actually making me feel worse.

I took another sip of my latte, trying to keep my thoughts in order before asking again.

"So, why did you lie like that earlier?"

"I wanted to show them I had a boyfriend and surprise them. I knew they were coming to pick up their wedding rings from that store."

She fell silent again.

"Why would you do that?"

"Because they always treat me like a child. I wanted to show off a bit."

I nodded in understanding. So, that's why she pulled me away from the game corner.

Of course, I figured it was something like that. Yep, I knew it…from the start, yep…

"I can kind of understand your older sister's feelings."

"Do I really seem that childish to you?"

She pouted explicitly. I chuckled and shook my head.

"Not in that sense. I have a younger sister, too, and even though we're only two years apart, I still see her as the little kid she used to be."

"But I'm 10 years younger than them."

Shiratama-san took a careful sip of her cafe au lait, exhaling softly.

"My older sister is kind and dotes on me a lot. I love her very much."

"She sounds like a good sister."

Shiratama-san nodded, smiling more genuinely than I had seen before.

"Yes. I even thought I had two moms when I was little. Kids think funny things sometimes."

She laughed nostalgically.

However, her laughter faded quickly. She looked down, her voice dropping to a murmur.

"That's why I have to support my older sister if she chooses Tanaka-sensei…"

It sounded like she was trying to convince herself more than anything.

"...Did something happen between you and Tanaka-sensei?"

"Yeah, there was- a lot that happened."

"Huh!?"

I might be about to hear something crazy.

I held the coffee mug tightly with trembling hands. Shiratama-san quickly shook her head.

"Not in a weird way. Tanaka-sensei has been our neighbor since I was little. He helped me with my studies and looked out for me."

...I see, that's how it is.

Thank goodness. There's no complicated relationship here.

The person in front of me is just an ordinary girl who gets along well with her sister.

"So, Tanaka-sensei's going to become your brother-in-law, huh?"

Shiratama-san's shoulders trembled slightly.

"...R-Right, since he's marrying my older sister, after all."

She spoke in a quiet tone and then fell silent.

Huh, did I say something weird?

"...Uh, Shiratama-san, you're on good terms with Tanaka-sensei, right?"

At my words, Shiratama-san slowly raised her head.

"...Care to listen to me for a bit?"

When I nodded, she began to speak with a slightly more mature expression than usual.

"Tanaka-sensei is our neighbor and has always looked after us when our parents came home late."

"So that means your sister, too, right? Are they far apart in age?"

"Sensei is five years older than my sister. He turned 30 this year, so he's an old man now."

She said this with a smile that didn't seem particularly amused.

"They have always spent time with me ever since I became aware of things. They often came to pick me up from kindergarten together."

As if recalling something, she smiled nostalgically.

"Back then, they were a university student and a middle schooler, so there were some strange rumors. But they weren't dating yet at that time."

"So, that means they have been close since then."

"I used to get jealous of how close they were and would always try to get between them. I would sulk and tell onee-chan not to get close to him, and on other days, I would tell her not to get close to my onii-chan."

With a gentle smile, she seemed to be reminiscing about those precious memories.

"...You really love them, don't you?"

"Yes. I love my sister very much."

I see. That's a relief.

Shiratama-san is just a pure-hearted girl who loves her sister, not someone with ulterior motives, like Yanami and the others suspected.

I continued speaking, trying to dispel the vague unease that lingered.

"And you're also close with Tanaka-sensei, right?"

"...I hate him. His kind is the worst."

"Eh…"

An awkward silence falls over us.

I glanced at the clock. It's just about lunchtime.

As I pictured Yanami's face at the word "lunch"-

-Plop.

A brown tabby cat jumped onto Shiratama-san's lap, curling up without a care for the heavy atmosphere.

"That man really thinks I'm his little sister."

Shiratama-san stroked the cat's fur with a stiff face.

"While I've remained the little girl from next door, my sister started calling him Yuji-san at some point."

The tabby cat twitched its ears once in approval of Shiratama-san's touch and began to purr.

"...I've always called him 'sensei' since then."

She gently continued to stroke the cat's back as she spoke.

Hmm, so that means Tanaka-sensei was already a teacher when they started going out. In other words…

"They started dating late, didn't they?"

"Yes. They officially started dating after my sister graduated from high school. I know he has been very kind to her."

Shiratama-san showed a self-deprecating smile.

"...For a while, I thought maybe he was waiting for me to grow up a little back in elementary school. It's really foolish, isn't it?"

She tried to laugh, but she couldn't. She simply looked down and squeezed out a faint voice.

"...I wonder what I would have called Tanaka-sensei if I had been born first."

I remained silent, unable to find the right words.

Whether it's love or dreams, it's normal for them to be unattainable.

By the time we obtain something precious, countless other things have slipped through our fingers-

As the cat's breathing became deep and regular, Shiratama-san spoke again.

"They are having their wedding on the Saturday after the next one. It's a lovely garden venue."

"Eh? Ahh, I see."

"And I snuck into the venue late at night sometime before."

Wait, what is she talking about?

"Sorry, I must have missed something. What happened at the venue?"

"I said I snuck into the venue at night, and the police got involved."

So I didn't miss anything.

What I thought was a story of unrequited love from my kouhai turned out to be a confession of a criminal record.

"Uh, why would you do such a thing...?"

"Because my sister always takes everything I want before I can. I wanted to leave my mark on something- I wanted to create a secret. I wanted to end it with that."

If you only hear that part, it sounds like a touching tale of a young girl's first love, but there's a lot of noise this time.

"Yeah, but why break into a place?"

"I wanted to wear my sister's wedding dress and take pictures in the chapel. Before she could."

"...Even if you wanted to create a secret, couldn't you find something less illegal? Something a bit more peaceful."

"Yes. I had about five options, and I chose the most peaceful one."

Well, if that was the most peaceful one, I guess I have to accept it. I silently sipped my latte.

Shiratama-san seemed normal at first glance, but is this what real girls are like…? Yeah, I think I'll buy a light novel on my way home.

Shiratama-san gave me a weak smile as I deepened my loyalty to the two-dimensional world.

"Sorry for the weird story. I feel a bit better after talking about it."

It was definitely a strange story.

"Uh, don't worry about it. Of course, I won't tell anyone."

"If necessary, you can share it. I caused you and the other senpais a lot of trouble."

Shiratama-san began to fiddle with the cat's neck with her fingertips.

As I watched the cat squirm with pleasure, I started to organize the story I heard.

…I'm sure Tanaka-sensei and her sister have had mutual feelings for a long time.

Shiratama-san, who's much younger, must have had mixed feelings of admiration and loneliness while being around them.

"You've liked Tanaka-sensei for a long time, haven't you?"

Shiratama-san's fingers stopped at my insensitive remark.

"I said I hated men like him, right?"

"Sorry, that was insensitive-"

"Because!"

Interrupting my apology, she took a deep breath and started sputtering,

"That man always looked at me with the same eyes as my father. But when he looked at my sister, his expression was always different, and he never showed me that face. My sister has always been wonderful and popular, and he's not good enough for her. He was my 'onii-chan', but then he became 'Tanaka-sensei' all of a sudden-"

She took another breath and, this time, whispered softly.

"...Soon, I'll have to call him my brother-in-law."

Shiratama-san's slim shoulders started trembling.

"Uh, are you okay? You don't have to keep talking if it hurts too much."

She shook her head.

Tears trickled down from her large eyes.

"You know, Yuji-onii-chan always says he's happy that Riko-chan is going to be his real little sister- because he has only ever looked at my older sister."

…The person she has always yearned for is going to become her brother-in-law.

She must never let him notice her true feelings.

All the feelings she had up until now have to be hidden, buried under the guise of sibling affection.

Tears that she couldn't hold back began to fall one after another.

"...And I, I tried so hard to become cute. I studied my sister's magazines and her makeup tools. I looked in the mirror more than my textbooks, trying to become cute so that…someday…onii-chan…would look at me…more…"

Her back shook more and more as she bowed her head, trying to hold back the tears.

"I hate him. I really hate…him. I hate him so…much…"

"Hey! Don't wipe your tears with the cat!"

"...Then, lend me your shoulder."

"Huh!?"

Without waiting for a response, Shiratama-san leaned into me, burying her face into my shoulder.

I feel the slight weight pressing against my shoulder.

Shiratama-san clung to my shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably.

...There's no choice but to let her cry it out like this.

I glanced around absentmindedly as I felt her warmth against my shoulder.

It was a mistake to sit here.

The wall facing the mall's corridor is a large glass window, making us visible from outside.

Not that there's anything suspicious about this, but if someone we knew sees us-

I raised my head, and I barely managed to hold my scream in.

Two girls with killer eyes are pressed up against the glass, staring at us.

-Anna Yanami and Chika Komari.

They kind of look like geckos stuck to the window…

I lowered my gaze to the girl crying into my shoulder as I thought about that.

Riko Shiratama, the absolutely doomed and unrequited heroine.

And she is also the one hope for saving the Literature Club from being disbanded-

*

The day after the shitshow at the AEON Mall Toyokawa (?).

After school, I headed straight home without stopping by the club room.

-Shiratama-san's tearful confession. Her feelings for Tanaka-sensei and her secret.

I need a bit more time to process all this.

"Welcome home, onii-sama."

The sound of slippers pattering against the floor heralded the arrival of Kaju.

"I'm home. Kaju, you got home early today."

"Yes, Momozono's student council work has settled down for now."

"I see. You've been busy."

Kaju blocked the way as I was about to enter the living room.

"Onii-sama, aren't you going to change in your room?"

"I want to watch the anime I pre-recorded- why aren't you letting me in the living room?"

"I'll make some hot tea, so why don't you change first? We also have some rice crackers."

"Wait, hold on-"

Kaju blocked my advance like a basketball defender, steering me toward the stairs.

There must be a reason why Kaju is going this far.

As I obediently approached my room, I stopped with my hand on the doorknob.

-There's something in the living room.

Given Kaju's actions, that's what I assumed, but now another possibility occurred to me.

She wants me to go to my room.

Is there something in my room? Or- 
did she find something in my room?

Oh no, I hope the thing under the carpet is safe.

I opened the door in a panic.

"Hey you, you're finally back, Nukumizu-kun."

"Y-You've got some n-nerves showing your f-face here."

The last people I want to see are right there.

Anna Yanami and Chika Komari. And they are both rifling through my bookshelf. Seriously, please stop.

"What are you two doing here?"

I entered the room, trying to remain calm, and they both gave me deadpan looks.

"Isn't it obvious? You ran off without explaining anything yesterday. What happened with Shiratama-chan?"

"Y-You enemy of girls."

I can't argue this time.

...But then again, thinking it over, I didn't actually do anything wrong. Yeah, nothing wrong.

"Hold on, both of you. It's true I left with Shiratama-san without saying much, but there was a good reason for it."

"Oh really? So, there's a good reason for what happened at the cat cafe too?"

I nodded emphatically at Yanami.

"Yeah, there's a reason why she was clinging to my shoulder and crying."

"-Kaju would like to know the reason for that as well."

"Eek!"

Startled by the voice behind me, I turned around to see Kaju smiling, holding a tray with tea and rice crackers.

"Kaju, how long have you been here?"

"I just arrived. I brought you some hot tea, onii-sama."

Kaju started setting the tea on the low table.

"Thanks. But we're having a grown-up conversation, so could you give us some privacy?"

"Relax. Kaju is already an adult now."

Kaju placed the fourth cup of tea and sat down with a thud.

Yanami and Komari sat around the table before I even said anything.

"Come on, Nukumizu-kun, sit down."

"G-Give up."

"Onii-sama, your tea is getting cold."

Komari and Kaju patted the cushions, and Yanami munched on a rice cracker, silently nodding her head at me.

…Honestly, I don't want to sit between them.

And even Kaju, who I thought might help me, has joined this merciless circle.

Resigned, I sat down, and Yanami swallowed the rest of her rice cracker. Chew properly, please.

"Alright, it took Nukumizu-kun one minute to sit down."

Yanami started talking like a principal.

"Eh, what do you mean…?"

"You stole three minutes of our time. Three minutes is the time it takes to make instant ramen. Why don't you think about that?"

I don't see why I need to, and I know damn well you're just going to start eating them after two minutes.

Feeling more at ease with Yanami's usual antics, I slowly sipped my hot tea.

"So, where should I start? Feel free to ask anything."

Yanami reached for her second rice cracker and began to speak.

"First off, what were you two doing when you snuck off on Sunday?"

"Well, that's a private matter. Any other questions?"

"..........."

Crunch. Yanami's rice cracker made a satisfying sound as she bit into it.

After a quick glance at the silent Yanami, Komari leaned forward.

"T-Then, why did y-you make her c-cry?"

Hmm, sharp observation, Komari.

"That's a matter between Shiratama-san and me. It's something I would like to keep in the depth of my heart. Next question, please."

As I reached for a rice cracker, Kaju moved the bowl away from me.

"...I'm so sad, onii-sama."

"Eh, what's wrong?"

Kaju handed the bowl to Yanami with a gloomy expression.

"Onii-sama, I'm saddened by your coldness. You've always said the Literature Club members are like family-"

"You've said something like that!?"

Startled, Yanami swallowed her third rice cracker without chewing it properly.

"…No way I did."

"You didn't, but your eyes speak the truth, onii-sama."

I see. My eyes are untrustworthy.

And now, three pairs of eyes that trust me even less are staring at me.

"It's not like I did anything bad with Shiratama-san..."

I began to fumble my excuses, but their expression didn't change.

Yanami sighed and pulled out a small black card from Komari's bag.

"If that's how you want to play it, Nukumizu-kun, we have no choice."

"...? What's that?"

"SD card. It was taped under the carpet of this room."

Alright, hand that shit over.

As I reached for it, I noticed Kaju's gaze and nonchalantly looked away.

"...It's just data for managing my grades. It's password-protected."

Yanami handed the SD card to Kaju without changing her expression.

"Imouto-chan, any idea about the password?"

"Onii-sama's passwords are usually his favorite voice actress's birthdays, so give me a bit of time."

"Huh!?"

Shit. It's not just because of the images I've collected, but the folder names I've organized them into are also…problematic. Come to think of it, Shiratama-san did say I could share the details if necessary at the cat cafe. So, it should be fine to tell them. Yep, no problem at all. Probably.

"...Alright, let's talk. I'll tell you everything that happened on that day."

I adopted a serious expression and looked around at the three faces.

The blackmailers swallowed nervously.

-And I'm not selling out my kouhai because I'm being blackmailed. Definitely not.

*

"...G-Go die."

That was the first word directed at me after I finished explaining.

Komari looked at me like I was a piece of garbage as she munched a rice cracker.

"Did you even listen to my story? Clearly, I'm not at fault here. I'm the nice senpai comforting a brave kouhai."

These people don't get it at all.

Sighing, I reached for a rice cracker, but Kaju quickly grabbed the last one.

"Onii-sama, that person is not right for you. It's too early for you."

"But I-"

"I said no, and I mean no."

Pouting, Kaju turned away, her cheeks puffed out in annoyance.

Why is Kaju like this as well? My my, Yanami will be upset too if this keeps up.

Preparing for the worst, I turned my gaze to Yanami, and she was dabbing her eyes with a handkerchief.

"...Ugh, so that's what…happened."

To my surprise, Yanami's crying really hard. Like actual tears.

"Eh, what's wrong, Yanami-san?"

Yanami leaned forward and slammed the low table with her hand.

"Don't you feel anything, Nukumizu-kun? I feel so bad for Shiratama-chan! We can't just let a homewrecker take away her childhood friend. Let's write that into law!"

"Shiratama-san's sister is also a childhood friend. If anything, Shiratama-san is the homewrecker who should be regulated by the law."

"Huh? Isn't it weird to punish a childhood friend...?"

Childhood friends aren't that OP, you know?

Yanami sniffed, looking thoughtful and tilting her head in confusion.

Alright, if I want to wrap this up, now's my only chance.

"That's all I have to say. Let's call it a day."

I tried to stand up, but Komari and Kaju grabbed my clothes from either side.

"Onii-sama, Kaju hasn't heard everything yet."

"Eh? But I told you everything that happened that day already."

"Y-You know why she's s-suspended, right?"

Komari glared at me through her bangs.

"Uh, I said I'd tell you what happened, but I didn't mean the entire conversation- fine, I'll tell you everything."

It's better to give in quickly.

I explained the whole incident of Shiratama-san sneaking into the wedding venue before drinking the now-cold tea.

"That's everything. I have no more secrets. This is all I know."

"Yes, well done, onii-sama."

Kaju patted my head. My little sister is so kind.

Yanami, who had been listening with a look of disbelief, blew her nose loudly and threw the crumpled tissue into the trash bin.

"It's amazing she only got suspended. That's a crime, you know."

Yanami said something sensible for once, surprisingly.

By the way, she missed the trash bin. Please take responsibility and clean it up.

"She just wanted to wear her sister's wedding dress and take photos in the chapel first. It's a cute wish, very girly."

"Even so, it's definitely not normal to sneak into a wedding venue."

Yeah, it's not normal. Yanami seems to be using up her quota of sensible statements for the year.

Shiratama-san is indeed cute, but she's not normal.

This is coming from a guy who's surrounded by unusual girls, by the way.

I can't deny that I overlooked Shiratama-san's peculiarities because I wanted more members for the club.

"Well, I think Yanami-san's concerns are valid."

"Right. Forcing her to join might not be good for either of us-"

"B-But!"

Yanami was interrupted by Komari's high-pitched voice.

We all turned to look at her in surprise, and she looked down, fidgeting nervously.

"H-Her suspension is a-already over, so i-it might not be good if we focus on her p-past too much…"

Her tone is firm despite her timid demeanor. I nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, that's what I wanted to say."

Yanami gave me a look that said, 'You're lying, right?'

Of course, I'm lying, but I maintained a confident demeanor as I looked at the three of them.

"We're not in a position to judge. We're all students at the same school, and Shiratama-san is a kouhai we're looking after at the request of Konuki-sensei. We should try to support her as much as we can."

The room fell silent. Was I not supposed to say that…?

Feeling uneasy, I watched as Yanami exchanged a glance with Komari before speaking.

"That being said, we've heard the situation. The wedding hasn't happened yet, right? The Literature Club might be held responsible if she does anything."

"That might be true, but still..."

As I hesitated, Yanami shrugged as if to say, "Oh well."

"Then we'll talk to her properly ourselves."

"Eh, you sure?"

"Yeah, sometimes girls understand each other better. Is that fine with you?"

I nodded vigorously, and Yanami stretched widely.

"Alright! Let's stop with the difficult talk for now. I'm getting a bit hungry!"

Kaju stood up upon hearing that.

"Kaju will get some more tea and bring some snacks."

"Sorry, Imouto-chan, I sound like I'm urging you."

Yanami waved her hand dismissively.

What do you mean you sound like? You're literally urging her…

I turned to Yanami with a serious expression after Kaju left the room.

"Also, Yanami-san, about that SD card…"

 "Ah."

Yanami crawled on all fours to pick up the crumpled tissue from the floor.

"I wrapped it up with the tissue I used to blow my nose. Do you still want it?"

Yanami gave me an expression full of innocence as I suppressed my extremely intense feelings and shook my head.

Still looking innocent, Yanami tossed the tissue into the trash can.